Alphabet Soup
by Strawman
Summary: Fluff


"Yeah. We should know by tomorrow morning."   
The glare Lyta got in return was enough to   
set her to laughing again. "So, what do we   
do in the mean time?"  
  
She headed to the rooms and went in one of   
them. Puzzled, Marcus tried to lift her head   
to look at her but she resisted, just   
nuzzling further into his neck and holding   
him closer. She put her hand on his   
shoulder, which made him jump and turn   
around. She got up and watched Marcus nod   
before she got up and left.   
  
"What happened?" Zack asked.  
  
"I wasn't fair to Marcus and I apologize.   
For chrissakes it was only a joke." She   
smiled softly and she walked up to Zack   
quietly. "Okay, so, his sense of humor   
leaves its ALOT to be desired, but nobody is   
perfect."  
  
He raised his eyebrows pointedly. Marcus'   
mouth dropped open at her admission.   
  
"You are," he confirmed. His amusement   
turned to sincerity as he added, "And still   
the most beautiful woman I've ever met."  
  
"Marcus, you're home," Susan said with a   
sigh.  
  
"In a few minutes. Susan, we need to talk,"   
Lyta said, her expression one of concern.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
"Nothing unpleasant. I watched every   
ingredient go in, faithful puppy that I am!"  
  
"The Shadow attacked him as he was leaving   
and then this other one came up and they   
began to fight. It was the weirdest thing   
I've ever seen." Zack explained.  
  
"Okay everybody. Marcus, tell me the instant   
there is movement or the weapons are locking   
on. I need to go talk to Lyta about   
something very important." Susan ordered,   
not making eye contact with him.  
  
"She'll be in the way and have to be   
terminated."  
  
"I'm sorry. All the way here, I promised   
myself I wouldn't do that and now look at   
me, I must be a mess."  
  
"You'll stay on the ship," Marcus replied.   
Either that or it was a delirium.   
  
"In my defense, I was only following   
orders."   
  
Marcus took over a station. "That doesn't   
sound or look good." he said.  
  
"You'll just have to wait and see." Without   
hesitation, he removed his right hand from   
her waist and rested it on the back of her   
head. She saw Lyta sleeping and Zack   
watching her.   
  
"Let me refresh your memory. You call out   
softly, a certain ranger's name." Marcus   
gave her a brief glance.   
  
"Yes or No?"   
  
Marcus smiled like he was laughing.   
Eventually, her crying subsided and she   
moved out of his embrace, turning her back   
to him as she wiped her eyes.   
  
"We've come here to do a job," she retorted.   
  
"She was simply showing her annoyance. And,   
I must agree with her. Please, get off me."   
Marcus said, sounding annoyed. He sat on a   
chair by her bed. Marcus took Susan by the   
shoulders, turned her around and cupped her   
chin, gently lifting her bent head. "What's   
your excuse?"  
  
"We are talking, I thought. Something   
wrong?" Susan asked.  
  
This was the last thing that he'd expected   
her to say.  
  
Then Lyta stopped laughing and looked into   
Susan's eyes. " Why don't you just sleep   
with him and get it over with? This time."  
  
"What makes you think he loves me?"  
  
"You are too kind, my Lady. The guy who's   
been in love with you since day one."  
  
Susan entered the bridge while Marcus turned   
around to see her come in.  
  
Marcus and Susan gazed into each other's   
eyes. "All right, you're forgiven." Her tone   
was deep with suspicion. "I will not kill   
another human," he told her, adamantly.  
  
"Really?" she questioned in a shocked,   
disbelieving tone.   
  
"What makes you think you are going to go   
down to Centauri Prime without me?"  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about,   
Marcus." Tears started to well up in her   
eyes and not wanting him to see them, she   
wrapped her arms around him again, burying   
her face into his shoulder. Same problem. It   
was obvious by her demeanor that she didn't   
want to discuss the matter further.   
  
"Do you love him back?"  
  
"Oh stop being a childish Human."  
  
"And the mission to Centauri Prime?"  
  
"Leading my team on the surface."  
  
"No, thank you."  
  
Susan looked into his eyes and she began to   
blush furiously.   
  
"Oh really!"   
  
"Leave her," Lyta responded cynically. "I   
can't sleep."   
  
Ivanova folded her arms across her chest.   
"What was in the letter? You know, the one   
you were reading with such gusto earlier. I   
know, but I don't want to," Susan said in a   
sad tone.  
  
"You're crazy if you don't!"  
  
She opened up a folder, spreading the papers   
out, beginning to fill out reports. "Let's   
look at the evidence, shall we?"  
  
"Stop being absurd."  
  
"And who got you out of there? And where   
will you be?" Ivanova asked, playing devil's   
advocate.  
  
"It looks like we have company."  
  
"Yes." They stopped walking and Marcus   
looked at her.  
  
"Oh yuck!" Ivanova was not impressed.   
  
"I know. Dark hair, grey eyes, beard,   
handsome. Yes, I am...extremely shy. I am   
not being childish. I was simply-"  
  
"We just detected these ships. They are of   
an unknown configuration and there is no   
signal or no weapons lock-on." Susan   
explained.  
  
Marcus nodded with a nice smile. He smiled   
tenderly as he studied her face.   
  
Susan and Lyta raised their eyebrows.  
  
"I know what you said." Ivanova's hand came   
down on the table, startling Marcus. "Lyta,   
you do not need to feel nervous around me."  
  
"I said I'd be. Really," she insisted.   
"About your height."   
  
"It is not my fault that I am what I am."   
  
"Do you love him?"   
  
Ivanova wiped her hands on a piece of cloth   
provided for the purpose.   
  
"But whichever way, it you were calling his   
name, in shall we say, a more than friends   
kind of way. Susan, you can't lie to   
telepath. Not even when you are one."   
  
"Well, we can become friends and then you   
won't be so shy."  
  
"Sleep with Marcus."   
  
"You must be joking! He and I aren't right   
for each other. I am, but you have to sleep   
right now," Susan replied.  
  
"I think you do."   
  
"I do not!"   
  
"I've got a deck of cards."  
  
"Zack, I swear you are such a trouble   
maker!" Marcus said with exasperation.  
  
"It's all right. I know you love her and   
that is fine with me. I am neither jealous   
nor angry. But, I need to talk to her   
privately."  
  
"Did you realize you talk in your sleep? Is   
that a yes?" He stood up and left the room.  
  
"What?" Ivanova asked. The tone of her voice   
stopped Marcus' hand.  
  
"He's kind, gentle, intelligent, handsome   
and he's nuts about you. No, come on! It's   
not a difficult question."  
  
Gently, he began to stroke her hair, his   
hold on her tightening when he heard the   
sniffles turn to harsh, racking sobs.  
  
"You are shy. I can see that now," he said,   
not sounding accusatory.  
  
"I'll see you a bit later," Susan said with   
finality, brushing her hair back.   
  
"And here I thought you were supposed to be   
asleep."   
  
Her cheeks were streaked with tears, her   
nose was red and her eyes were puffy.   
Moments later, he was shaken to hear a   
couple of muffled sniffles.   
  
"She doesn't appreciate you, Marcus. You can   
come to my room for as long as you like.   
You'd be welcome!"  
  
"Why am I not surprised?" 


End file.
